Petition Observations: Housing, Communities and Local Government/ Bredbury Parkway Industrial Estate Extension

The petition of residents of the United Kingdom,

Declares that proposals to extend the Bredbury Parkway Industrial Estate deep into the Tame Valley would involve large-scale developments on the Green Belt land, which is a valuable barrier to urban sprawl and is hugely valued by local people, particularly in the areas of Bredbury, Woodley, Denton and Tamseside; further declares that this development would destroy the openness of this section of the Tame Valley and damage the visual amenity from the Haughton Dale and Hulme’s Wood Local Nature Reserves; further declare concerns over HGV traffic in the area and the impact that the proposals would have on an already congested Stockport Road and Ashton Road, and the associated effects on the environment.

The petitioners oppose plans to extend the Bredbury Parkway Industrial Estate. The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council, Tameside Council and the Department for Communities and Local Government no to support the extension of the Bredbury Parkway Industrial Estate; and to further urge that the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework (GMSF) must follow principles of a “Brownfield First” strategy, so that previously developed land, including derelict or unused sites, must be fully considered before Green Belt is released for development.

And the petitioners remain, etc.—[Presented by Andrew Gwynne, Official Report, 23 October 2018; Vol. 648, c. 247.]

[P002273]

The petition of residents of the United Kingdom,

Declares that proposals to extend the Bredbury Parkway Industrial Estate deep into the Tame Valley would involve large-scale developments on the Green Belt land, which is a valuable barrier to urban sprawl and is hugely valued by local people, particularly in the areas of Bredbury, Woodley, Denton and Tamseside; further declares that this development would destroy the openness of this section of the Tame Valley and damage the visual amenity from the Haughton Dale and Hulme’s Wood Local Nature Reserves; further declare concerns over HGV traffic in the area and the impact that the proposals would have on an already congested Stockport Road and Ashton Road, and the associated effects on the environment.

The petitioners oppose plans to extend the Bredbury Parkway Industrial Estate. The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council, Tameside Council and the Department for Communities and Local Government no to support the extension of the Bredbury Parkway Industrial Estate; and to further urge that the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework (GMSF) must follow principles of a “Brownfield First” strategy, so that previously developed land, including derelict or unused sites, must be fully considered before Green Belt is released for development.

And the petitioners remain, etc.—[Presented by Mr William Wragg, Official Report, 23 October 2018; Vol. 648, c. 248.]

[P002274]

Observations from the Minister for Housing (Kit Malthouse):

The Secretary of State for Housing Communities and Local Government has a quasi-judicial role in the planning system, and so the Government cannot comment on specific plans or planning applications for reasons of propriety. Local planning authorities, working with their communities, are responsible for determining the best location for industrial estates. When they receive planning applications, local planning authorities must determine them in line with the development plan and all other material considerations. These considerations are likely to include any relevant views and evidence expressed by local people; an assessment of all the potential impacts and planning consequences of the proposal; and the policies set out in our revised National Planning Policy Framework published in July 2018.

Environmental protection is at the heart of the revised National Planning Policy Framework, setting clear expectations for future developments, including assessing the impacts of proposed development on the road network. The revised Framework sets out that most new building is inappropriate in the Green Belt and should be refused planning permission except in very special circumstances. Only in exceptional circumstances can an authority establish the need to alter a Green Belt boundary, using the plan process of consultation and examination. The revised Framework has strengthened this policy by setting out that authorities should show fully evidenced justification for a Green Belt boundary change, including through setting out the fact that they have examined all other reasonable options for meeting their identified development needs by making more effective use of suitable brownfield and under-utilised land; optimising density of new development where appropriate; and discussing with neighbouring authorities whether they could take some of the necessary development.

It is understood that the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework is open for consultation until 19 March 2019, so petitioners, stakeholders and local residents have the opportunity to comment on the proposals.